Examining the Role of Neighborhood-Level Foreclosure in Smoking and Alcohol Use Among Older Adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

The US Great Recession resulted in an alarming number of home foreclosures that weakened the social and physical environment of thousands of neighborhoods. Few studies have evaluated whether these neighborhood changes were related to changes in individual behaviors. We examined the relationship between changes in neighborhood-level home foreclosure within a quarter-mile (0.4-km) buffer of the residence and changes in cigarette smoking and alcohol use among 3,807 adults enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis during 2005-2012, using econometric individual-level fixed-effects models. Increases in neighborhood-level foreclosure were associated with small decreases in the number of cigarettes smoked per day (mean difference = -0.08, 95% confidence interval: -0.11, -0.04) and small increases in the number of alcoholic beverages consumed per week (mean difference = 0.11, 95% confidence interval: 0.05, 0.17). Neighborhood-level foreclosure may not uniformly influence high-risk behaviors. The impact of home foreclosure on adult drinking should be further explored, given its potentially negative implications for health.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Depression, and Alcohol Consumption During Joblessness and During Recessions Among Young Adults in CARDIA.

Research has shown that recessions are associated with lower cardiovascular mortality, but unemployed individuals have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or death. We used data from 8 consecutive examinations (1985-2011) of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort, modeled in fixed-effect panel regressions, to investigate simultaneously the associations of CVD risk factors with the employment status of individuals and the macroeconomic conditions prevalent in the state where the individual lives. We found that unemployed individuals had lower levels of blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and physical activity, and they had significantly higher depression scores, but they were similar to their counterparts in smoking status, alcohol consumption, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, body mass index, and waist circumference. A 1-percentage-point higher unemployment rate at the state level was associated with lower systolic (-0.41 mm Hg, 95% CI: -0.65, -0.17) and diastolic (-0.19, 95% CI: -0.39, 0.01) blood pressure, higher physical activity levels, higher depressive symptom scores, lower waist circumference, and less smoking. We conclude that levels of CVD risk factors tend to improve during recessions, but mental health tends to deteriorate. Unemployed individuals are significantly more depressed, and they likely have lower levels of physical activity and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Exposure to Neighborhood Foreclosures and Changes in Cardiometabolic Health: Results From MESA.

Home foreclosures can precipitate declines in health among the individuals who lost their homes. Whether home foreclosures can "spillover" to affect the health of other neighborhood residents is largely unknown. Using longitudinal data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis that were linked to foreclosure data from 2005 to 2012, we assessed whether greater exposure to neighborhood foreclosures was associated with temporal changes in 3 objectively measured cardiometabolic risk factors: body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose level. We used fixed-effects models to estimate mean changes in cardiometabolic risk factors associated with changes in neighborhood foreclosures over time. In models in which we controlled for time-varying income, working status, medication use, neighborhood poverty, neighborhood unemployment, and interactions of age, sex, race, and state foreclosure laws with time, a standard-deviation increase in neighborhood foreclosures (1.9 foreclosures per quarter mile) was associated with increases in fasting glucose (mean = 0.22 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval: -0.05, 0.50) and decreases in blood pressure (mean = -0.27 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval: -0.49, -0.04). Changes in neighborhood foreclosure rates were not associated with changes in body mass index. Overall, greater exposure to neighborhood foreclosures had mixed associations with cardiometabolic risk factors over time. Given the millions of mortgages still in default, further research clarifying the potential health effects of neighborhood foreclosures is needed.

Modeling the Effects of E-cigarettes on Smoking Behavior: Implications for Future Adult Smoking Prevalence.

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased rapidly in recent years. Given the unknown effects of e-cigarette use on cigarette smoking behaviors, e-cigarette regulation has become the subject of considerable controversy. In the absence of longitudinal data documenting the long-term effects of e-cigarette use on smoking behavior and population smoking outcomes, computational models can guide future empirical research and provide insights into the possible effects of e-cigarette use on smoking prevalence over time. METHODS: Agent-based model examining hypothetical scenarios of e-cigarette use by smoking status and e-cigarette effects on smoking initiation and smoking cessation. RESULTS: If e-cigarettes increase individual-level smoking cessation probabilities by 20%, the model estimates a 6% reduction in smoking prevalence by 2060 compared with baseline model (no effects) outcomes. In contrast, e-cigarette use prevalence among never smokers would have to rise dramatically from current estimates, with e-cigarettes increasing smoking initiation by more than 200% relative to baseline model estimates to achieve a corresponding 6% increase in smoking prevalence by 2060. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current knowledge of the patterns of e-cigarette use by smoking status and the heavy concentration of e-cigarette use among current smokers, the simulated effects of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation generate substantially larger changes to smoking prevalence compared with their effects on smoking initiation.

Temporal trends in BMI in Argentina by socio-economic position and province-level economic development, 2005-2009.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated temporal trends in BMI, and assessed hypothesized predictors of trends including socio-economic position (SEP) and province-level economic development, in Argentina. DESIGN: Using multivariable linear regression, we evaluated cross-sectional patterning and temporal trends in BMI and examined heterogeneity in these associations by SEP and province-level economic development with nationally representative samples from Argentina in 2005 and 2009. We calculated mean annual changes in BMI for men and women to assess secular trends. RESULTS: Women, but not men, exhibited a strong cross-sectional inverse association between SEP and BMI, with the lowest-SEP women having an average BMI 2.55 kg/m(2) greater than the highest-SEP women. Analysis of trends revealed a mean annual increase in BMI of 0.19 kg/m(2) and 0.15 kg/m(2) for women and men, respectively, with slightly greater increases occurring in provinces with greater economic growth. No significant heterogeneity in trends existed by individual SEP. CONCLUSIONS: BMI is increasing rapidly over time in Argentina irrespective of various sociodemographic characteristics. Higher BMI remains more common in women of lower SEP compared with those of higher SEP.

Medication and procedural abortion uptake during a period of increasing abortion hostility.

Hundreds of state-level abortion restrictions were implemented in the US between 2010 and 2020. Medication abortion was being widely adopted during this same period. Understanding the impact of health policies and political climate will improve the delivery of and access to reproductive healthcare in a period of rapid change. To measure the association between state abortion hostility and mifepristone and procedural abortion rates, we conducted a state-level repeated cross-sectional study using 2010-2020 employer-sponsored insurance claims data from Merative MarketScan. The exposure of interest was a 13-point state-level abortion hostility score based on the presence of policies which either reduce or protect access to abortion. Outcomes of interest were annual mifepristone and procedural abortion claims per 100,000 enrollees. We used a linear mixed model adjusting for urbanicity, age group, and year. We assessed whether temporal trends in abortion claims were modified by state abortion hostility by interacting year with two measurements of abortion hostility: baseline score in 2010 and change from baseline score. We found that median state-level mifepristone claims increased from 20 to 37 per 100,000 included enrollees; meanwhile, median procedural abortions claims decreased from 69 to 20 per 100. For mifepristone, every unit increase in a state's baseline abortion hostility score was associated with 7.5 (CI, -12 to -3.6) fewer mifepristone claims per 100,000 in 2010. For states with baseline hostility and change scores of zero, we did not observe a significant time trend over the 11 year study period. For every unit increase in baseline hostility, the time trend changed by 0.5 fewer claims (CI, -0.8 to -0.2) per 100,000 per year. States with higher baseline abortion hostility had fewer overall abortions, less uptake of mifepristone abortions, and slower decline in procedural abortions between 2010 and 2020. Changes in hostility from new restrictions during this time period did not significantly impact claims. Advocates for abortion access must simultaneously attend to individual abortion policies and the overall political climate. Updated research on the relationship between political climate and the evolving clinical landscape of abortion care is needed to inform this work.

Treating Benzodiazepine Withdrawal in a Bridge Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths are rising, driven by increasing use of nonprescribed benzodiazepine pills. For patients who wish to stop nonprescribed benzodiazepine use, rapid inpatient tapers are typically the only option to treat benzodiazepine withdrawal. Substance use disorder bridge clinics can provide the high-touch care needed to manage outpatient benzodiazepine tapers in patients at high risk due to other substance use disorders. OBJECTIVE: Describe the implementation and short-term outcomes of an outpatient benzodiazepine taper protocol to treat benzodiazepine withdrawal in a substance use disorder bridge clinic. METHODS: The clinical team developed a 4- to 6-week intensive outpatient taper protocol using diazepam. Patients with benzodiazepine use disorder were eligible if they had benzodiazepine withdrawal, lacked a prescriber, wanted to stop benzodiazepines completely, and agreed to daily visits. For patients who initiated a taper between April 2021 and December 2022, we evaluated the proportion of patients who completed a taper (i.e., tapered to a last prescribed dose of diazepam 10 mg/d or less); likelihood of remaining on the taper over time; and seizure, overdose, or death documented at the study institution during or within 1 month of taper completion or discontinuation. Other secondary outcomes included HIV testing and prevention, hepatitis C testing, and referrals to recovery coaching or psychiatry. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients initiated a total of 60 benzodiazepine tapers. The population was mostly male (61%) and non-Hispanic White (85%). Nearly all patients had opioid use disorder (96%), and most (80%) were taking methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder before starting the taper. Patients reported using multiple substances in addition to benzodiazepines, most commonly fentanyl (75%), followed by cocaine (41%) and methamphetamine (21%). Fourteen patients (23%) completed a taper with a median duration of 34 days (IQR 27.8-43.5). Most tapers were stopped when the patient was lost to follow-up (57%), or the team recommended inpatient care (18%). Two patients had a seizure, and 4 had a presumed opioid-involved overdose during or within 1 month after the last taper visit, all individuals who did not complete a taper. No deaths occurred during or within 1 month of taper completion or discontinuation. Challenges included frequent loss to follow-up in the setting of other unstable substance use. Patients received other high-priority care during the taper including HIV testing (32%), PrEP initiation (6.7%), hepatitis C testing (30%), and referrals to recovery coaches (18%) and psychiatry (6.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Managing benzodiazepine withdrawal with a 4- to 6-week intensive outpatient taper in patients with benzodiazepine and opioid use disorders is challenging. More work is needed to refine patient selection, balance safety risks with feasibility, and study long-term, patient-centered outcomes.

Insurance Instability for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder in the Year After Diagnosis.

Importance: Transitions in insurance coverage may be associated with worse health care outcomes. Little is known about insurance stability for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Objective: To examine insurance transitions among adults with newly diagnosed OUD in the 12 months after diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: Longitudinal cohort study using data from the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse. The cohort includes adults aged 18 to 63 years diagnosed with incident OUD between July 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, who were enrolled in commercial insurance or Medicaid at diagnosis; individuals diagnosed after 2014 were excluded from the main analyses due to changes in the reporting of insurance claims. Data were analyzed from November 10, 2022, to May 6, 2024. Exposure: Insurance type at time of diagnosis (commercial and Medicaid). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of insurance transitions in the 12 months after diagnosis. Logistic regression models were used to generate estimated probabilities of insurance transitions by insurance type and diagnosis for several characteristics including age, race and ethnicity, and whether an individual started medication for OUD (MOUD) within 30 days after diagnosis. Results: There were 20 768 individuals with newly diagnosed OUD between July 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014. Most individuals with newly diagnosed OUD were covered by Medicaid (75.4%). Those with newly diagnosed OUD were primarily male (67% in commercial insurance, 61.8% in Medicaid). In the 12 months following OUD diagnosis, 30.4% of individuals experienced an insurance transition, with adjusted models demonstrating higher transition rates among those starting with Medicaid (31.3%; 95% CI, 30.5%-32.0%) compared with commercial insurance (27.9%; 95% CI, 26.6%-29.1%). The probability of insurance transitions was generally higher for younger individuals than older individuals irrespective of insurance type, although there were notable differences by race and ethnicity. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that nearly 1 in 3 individuals experience insurance transitions in the 12 months after OUD diagnosis. Insurance transitions may represent an important yet underrecognized factor in OUD treatment outcomes.

Novel Uses of Methadone Under the "72-Hour Rule" to Facilitate Transitions of Care and Low-Dose Buprenorphine Induction in an Outpatient Bridge Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Federal regulations restrict methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment to licensed opioid treatment programs (OTPs). However, providers in other settings can administer methadone for opioid withdrawal under the "72-hour rule" while linking to further care. Prior work has demonstrated that methadone initiation in a low-barrier bridge clinic is associated with high OTP linkage and 1-month retention rates. We describe 2 other novel applications of the 72-hour rule in which methadone withdrawal management facilitated linkage to inpatient hospitalization and outpatient buprenorphine induction. CASE PRESENTATIONS: Patient 1 was a 46-year-old woman with OUD complicated by serious injection-related infections. Severe opioid withdrawal limited her ability to tolerate emergency department wait times and receive inpatient care. We administered methadone for opioid withdrawal in an outpatient bridge clinic immediately before emergency department referral; this enabled hospital admission for intravenous antibiotics and anticoagulation. Patient 2 was a 36-year-old man with OUD desiring buprenorphine treatment. He had been unable to complete traditional buprenorphine induction without experiencing precipitated withdrawal. Thus, we recommended a low-dose buprenorphine induction overlapping with a full opioid agonist. Given the patient's preference to stop using fentanyl immediately, he received 72 hours of methadone for withdrawal treatment during the induction phase and successfully transitioned to buprenorphine without significant concomitant fentanyl use. CONCLUSION: In addition to facilitating OTP linkage, on-demand 72-hour methadone administration for opioid withdrawal can reduce barriers to acute medical care and buprenorphine treatment.

Buprenorphine-Precipitated Withdrawal Among Hospitalized Patients Using Fentanyl.

Importance: Buprenorphine treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) is safe and effective, but opioid withdrawal during treatment initiation is associated with poor retention in care. As fentanyl has replaced heroin in the drug supply, case reports and surveys have indicated increased concern for buprenorphine-precipitated withdrawal (PW); however, some observational studies have found a low incidence of PW. Objective: To estimate buprenorphine PW incidence and assess factors associated with PW among emergency department (ED) or hospitalized patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study at 3 academic hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, included adults with OUD who underwent traditional or high-dose buprenorphine initiation between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Exclusion criteria included low-dose buprenorphine initiation and missing documentation of opioid withdrawal severity within 4 hours of receiving buprenorphine. Exposure: Buprenorphine initiation with an initial dose of at least 2 mg of sublingual buprenorphine after a Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) score of 8 or higher. Additional exposures included 4 predefined factors potentially associated with PW: severity of opioid withdrawal before buprenorphine (COWS score of 8-12 vs ≥13), initial buprenorphine dose (2 vs 4 or ≥8 mg), body mass index (BMI) (<25 vs 25 to <30 or ≥30; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), and urine fentanyl concentration (0 to <20 vs 20 to <200 or ≥200 ng/mL). Main Outcome and Measures: The main outcome was PW incidence, defined as a 5-point or greater increase in COWS score from immediately before to within 4 hours after buprenorphine initiation. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of PW associated with the 4 aforementioned predefined factors. Results: The cohort included 226 patients (150 [66.4%] male; mean [SD] age, 38.6 [10.8] years). Overall, 26 patients (11.5%) met criteria for PW. Among patients with PW, median change in COWS score was 9 points (IQR, 6-13 points). Of 123 patients with confirmed fentanyl use, 20 (16.3%) had PW. In unadjusted and adjusted models, BMI of 30 or greater compared with less than 25 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.12; 95% CI, 1.31-19.92) and urine fentanyl concentration of 200 ng/mL or greater compared with less than 20 ng/mL (AOR, 8.37; 95% CI, 1.60-43.89) were associated with PW. Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study, 11.5% of patients developed PW after buprenorphine initiation in ED or hospital settings. Future studies should confirm the rate of PW and assess whether bioaccumulated fentanyl is a risk factor for PW.

Target trial emulation for comparative effectiveness research with observational data: Promise and challenges for studying medications for opioid use disorder.

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) increase retention in care and decrease mortality during active treatment; however, information about the comparative effectiveness of different forms of MOUD is sparse. Observational comparative effectiveness studies are subject to many types of bias; a robust framework to minimize bias would improve the quality of comparative effectiveness evidence. This paper discusses the use of target trial emulation as a framework to conduct comparative effectiveness studies of MOUD with administrative data. Using examples from our planned research project comparing buprenorphine-naloxone and extended-release naltrexone with respect to the rates of MOUD discontinuation, we provide a primer on the challenges and approaches to employing target trial emulation in the study of MOUD.

Buprenorphine Prescribing Characteristics Following Relaxation of X-Waiver Training Requirements.

Importance: Local-level data are needed to understand whether the relaxation of X-waiver training requirements for prescribing buprenorphine in April 2021 translated to increased buprenorphine treatment. Objective: To assess whether relaxation of X-waiver training requirements was associated with changes in the number of clinicians waivered to and who prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder and the number of patients receiving treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants: This serial cross-sectional study uses an interrupted time series analysis of 2020-2022 data from the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), a cluster-randomized, wait-list-controlled trial. Urban and rural communities in 4 states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio) with a high burden of opioid overdoses that had not yet received the HCS intervention were included. Exposure: Relaxation of X-waiver training requirements (ie, allowing training-exempt X-waivers) on April 28, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: The monthly number of X-waivered clinicians, X-waivered buprenorphine prescribers, and patients receiving buprenorphine were each summed across communities within a state. Segmented linear regression models to estimate pre- and post-policy change by state were used. Results: The number of individuals in 33 participating HCS communities included 347 863 in Massachusetts, 815 794 in Kentucky, 971 490 in New York, and 1 623 958 in Ohio. The distribution of age (18-35 years: range, 29.4%-32.4%; 35-54 years: range, 29.9%-32.5%; ≥55 years: range, 35.7%-39.3%) and sex (female: range, 51.1%-52.6%) was similar across communities. There was a temporal increase in the number of X-waivered clinicians in the pre-policy change period in all states, which further increased in the post-policy change period in each state except Ohio, ranging from 5.2% (95% CI, 3.1%-7.3%) in Massachusetts communities to 8.4% (95% CI, 6.5%-10.3%) in Kentucky communities. Only communities in Kentucky showed an increase in the number of X-waivered clinicians prescribing buprenorphine associated with the policy change (relative increase, 3.2%; 95% CI, 1.5%-4.9%), while communities in other states showed no change or a decrease. Similarly, only communities in Massachusetts experienced an increase in patients receiving buprenorphine associated with the policy change (relative increase, 1.7%; 95% CI, 0.8%-2.6%), while communities in other states showed no change. Conclusions and Relevance: In this serial cross-sectional study, relaxation of X-waiver training requirements was associated with an increase in the number of X-waivered clinicians but was not consistently associated with an increase in the number of buprenorphine prescribers or patients receiving buprenorphine. These findings suggest that training requirements may not be the primary barrier to expanding buprenorphine treatment.

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in human amnion.

The amnion is a specialized tissue in contact with the amniotic fluid, which is in a constantly changing state. To investigate the importance of epigenetic events in this tissue in the physiology and pathophysiology of pregnancy, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of human amnion from term (with and without labor) and preterm deliveries. Using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip, we identified genes exhibiting differential methylation associated with normal labor and preterm birth. Functional analysis of the differentially methylated genes revealed biologically relevant enriched gene sets. Bisulfite sequencing analysis of the promoter region of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene detected two CpG dinucleotides showing significant methylation differences among the three groups of samples. Hypermethylation of the CpG island of the solute carrier family 30 member 3 (SLC30A3) gene in preterm amnion was confirmed by methylation-specific PCR. This work provides preliminary evidence that DNA methylation changes in the amnion may be at least partially involved in the physiological process of labor and the etiology of preterm birth and suggests that DNA methylation profiles, in combination with other biological data, may provide valuable insight into the mechanisms underlying normal and pathological pregnancies.

Removal of Medicaid Prior Authorization Requirements and Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Importance: Buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with decreased morbidity and mortality. Despite its effectiveness, buprenorphine uptake has been limited relative to the burden of OUD. Prior authorization (PA) policies may present a barrier to treatment, though research is limited, particularly in Medicaid populations. Objective: To assess whether removal of Medicaid PAs for buprenorphine to treat OUD is associated with changes in buprenorphine prescriptions for Medicaid enrollees. Design, Setting, and Participants: This state-level, serial cross-sectional study used quarterly data from 2015 through the first quarter (January-March) of 2019 to compare buprenorphine prescriptions in states that did and did not remove Medicaid PAs. Analyses were conducted between June 10, 2021, and August 15, 2023. The study included 23 states with active Medicaid PAs for buprenorphine in 2015 that required similar PA policies in fee-for-service and managed care plans and had at least 2 quarters of pre- and postperiod buprenorphine prescribing data. Exposures: Removal of Medicaid PA for at least 1 formulation of buprenorphine for OUD. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was number of quarterly buprenorphine prescriptions per 1000 Medicaid enrollees. Results: Between 2015 and the first quarter of 2019, 6 states in the sample removed Medicaid PAs for at least 1 formulation of buprenorphine and had at least 2 quarters of pre- and postpolicy change data. Seventeen states maintained buprenorphine PAs throughout the study period. At baseline, relative to states that repealed PAs, states that maintained PAs had lower buprenorphine prescribing per 1000 Medicaid enrollees (median, 6.6 [IQR, 2.6-13.9] vs 24.1 [IQR, 8.7-27.5] prescriptions) and lower Medicaid managed care penetration (median, 38.5% [IQR, 0.0%-74.1%] vs 79.5% [IQR, 78.1%-83.5%] of enrollees) but similar opioid overdose rates and X-waivered buprenorphine clinicians per 100 000 population. In fully adjusted difference-in-differences models, removal of Medicaid PAs for buprenorphine was not associated with buprenorphine prescribing (1.4% decrease; 95% CI, -31.2% to 41.4%). For states with below-median baseline buprenorphine prescribing, PA removal was associated with increased buprenorphine prescriptions per 1000 Medicaid enrollees (40.1%; 95% CI, 0.6% to 95.1%), while states with above-median prescribing showed no change (-20.7%; 95% CI, -41.0% to 6.6%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this serial cross-sectional study of Medicaid PA policies for buprenorphine for OUD, removal of PAs was not associated with overall changes in buprenorphine prescribing among Medicaid enrollees. Given the ongoing burden of opioid overdoses, continued multipronged efforts are needed to remove barriers to buprenorphine care and increase availability of this lifesaving treatment.

Minnesota Data Sharing May Be Model For Near-Real-Time Tracking Of Drug Overdose Hospital And ED Trends.

The drug overdose epidemic in the US necessitates detailed and timely data to inform public health responses. In this article we describe how an electronic health record (EHR) data-sharing collaboration across health systems in Minnesota that was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was adapted to monitor trends in substance use-related hospital and emergency department (ED) visits. We found large increases in methamphetamine- and opioid-involved hospital and ED visits. Throughout the study period, Native American, Black, and multiple-race people experienced the highest rates of drug-involved hospital and ED visits. Monitoring drug-involved health care use through EHR data has the potential to help public health officials detect trends in near real time before mortality spikes and may also inform early intervention. The use of EHR data also allows for detailed monitoring of the impact of the drug overdose epidemic across racial and ethnic groups.

Bridge clinic implementation of "72-hour rule" methadone for opioid withdrawal management: Impact on opioid treatment program linkage and retention in care.

BACKGROUND: Methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment is restricted to licensed opioid treatment programs (OTPs) with substantial barriers to entry. Underutilized regulations allow non-OTP providers to administer methadone for opioid withdrawal for up to 72 h while arranging ongoing care. Our low-barrier bridge clinic implemented a new pathway to treat opioid withdrawal and facilitate OTP linkage utilizing the "72-hour rule." METHODS: Patients presenting to a hospital-based bridge clinic were evaluated for OUD, opioid withdrawal, and treatment goals. Eligible patients were offered methadone opioid withdrawal management with rapid OTP referral. OTPs accepted patients as direct admissions. We described bridge clinic patients who received at least one dose of methadone between March-August 2021 and key clinical outcomes including OTP referral completion within 72 h. For the subset of patients referred to our two primary OTP partners, we described OTP linkage (i.e., attended at least one OTP visit within one month) and OTP retention at one month. RESULTS: Methadone was administered during 150 episodes of care for 142 unique patients, the majority of whom were male (73%), white (67%), and used fentanyl (85%). In 92% of episodes (138/150), a plan for ongoing care was in place within 72 h. Among 121 referrals to two primary OTP partners, 87% (105/121) linked and 58% (70/121) were retained at one month. CONCLUSIONS: Methadone administration for opioid withdrawal with direct OTP admission under the "72-hour rule" is feasible in an outpatient bridge clinic and resulted in high OTP linkage and 1-month retention rates. This model has the potential to improve methadone access.

Socioeconomic position and markers of adiposity among female teachers in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Occupation is often used as an indicator of socioeconomic position (SEP) in epidemiological studies, although it is unclear whether variation in SEP within a single occupational group is associated with health outcomes, including adiposity measures. METHODS: We created a multidimensional SEP index using principal component analysis based on self-reported data from 36 704 female teachers in Mexico from 2008 to 2011. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to evaluate cross-sectional associations of SEP and markers of adiposity, including obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2), elevated waist-to-hip ratio (WHR >85) and high waist circumference (WC >88 cm). RESULTS: The most relevant indicators of SEP in this study were internet access and private health insurance. We observed significant inverse trends in obesity, WHR and WC in relation to SEP (all ptrend<0.001). Compared with women with low SEP, women in the middle (prevalence ratio (PR) 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.02) and high (PR 0.85, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.90) SEP tertiles were less likely to be obese in multivariable models. Results were similar in models of WHR and WC adjusting for BMI. For example, women with high versus low SEP were 14% less likely to have an elevated WHR (PR 0.86, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.89) and 7% less likely to have a high WC (PR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that SEP remains relevant for adiposity within a single occupational setting and indicate that a stronger conceptualisation of SEP in epidemiological studies may be warranted.

Individual- and Area-Level SES in Diabetes Risk Prediction: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if adding SES to risk prediction models based upon traditional risk factors improves the prediction of diabetes. METHODS: Risk prediction models without and with individual- and area-level SES predictors were compared using the prospective Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate hazard ratios for SES predictors and to generate 10-year predicted risks for 5,021 individuals without diabetes at baseline followed from 2000 to 2012. C-statistics were used to compare model discrimination, and the proportion of individuals reclassified into higher or lower risk categories with the addition of SES predictors was calculated. The accuracy of risk prediction by SES was assessed by comparing observed and predicted risks across tertiles of the SES variables. Statistical analyses were performed in 2015-2016. RESULTS: Over a median of 9.2 years of follow-up, 615 individuals developed diabetes. Individual- and area-level SES variables did not significantly improve model discrimination or reclassify substantial numbers of individuals across risk categories. Models without SES predictors generally underestimated risk for low-SES individuals or individuals residing in low-SES areas (underestimates ranging from 0.31% to 1.07%) and overestimated risk for high-SES individuals or individuals residing in high-SES areas (overestimates ranging from 0.70% to 1.30%), and the addition of SES variables largely mitigated these differences. CONCLUSIONS: Standard diabetes risk models may underestimate risk for low-SES individuals and overestimate risk for those of high SES. Adding SES predictors helps correct this systematic misestimation, but may not improve model discrimination.